Method of refilling aerial vehicles during a flight.



H. 'ERDMANN. METHOD OF REFILLINQ AERIAL VEHICLES DURING A FLIGET.

' APPLIOATIOR TILED JAR.24. 1910.

1,035,560; Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

m f If: T Q 6 :5; W

i i" m nueo, ERDMANN, orbnaano'r'rnununo, esmvranr.

METHOD OF BEFILLTNG AERIAL VEHIGLES DURING A FLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

Application filed January 24, 1910. Serial No. 539,842.

1 cles During a Flight, of which the following liquid hydrogen comprising holders orreceptacles c, e.

is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in aerial vessels of that type or class which employ inflatable balloon-like supporting devices and the object of the invention is to provide means by which a body of liquefied gas may be transported in such a vessel and adapted to furnish gas to the inflatable supporting devices as it may be required.

Particularly the invention provides means by which a body of liquefied hydrogen may be conveniently and safely carried by such a vessel and the gas obtained by the vaporization thereof admitted to the balloon as desired.

'Heretofore liquefied hydrogen has not been employed for the purpose stated be cause there were not known means by which it could be conveniently transported. The advantages obtained by being able to use this material will be readily appreciated. A kilogram of liquefied hydrogen will produce eleven cubic meters of hydrogen gas which is suflicient to support a load of fourteen kilograms weight. Therefore it will be seen that in a vessel adapted to transport such material the load bearing capacity can be greatly increased as the liquid returns to gaseous form.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates, more or less diagrammaticall', an embodiment of the invention, a designates the car or body of an, aerial vessell' This car is as usual suspended by suitable ropes from a ring-like frame 6 sup-. ported by an inflatable bag 2'. Suitably supported near the frame I) is a container for two concentric These bag-like receptacles are fornifiid of the same material as the supporting lloon 1 and the space separating them i"fi-lled with a suitable light weight material adapted to serve as heat insulation for theinner liquid rcceptacle c. Eider-down'is particularly adapted for time filling the" space d separating the inner reeepteele in which liquefi (1 hydrogen f is placed from the outer casin 0. A conduit It having a valve 9 therein leads from the interior liquid receptacle 6 to the balloon i and a branch 70 connects said conduit with the space d.

H desired the-inner receptacle may be provided with a lining in of material, such as cotton adapted to absorb liquefied hydrogen, and the ca )acity of said receptacle is such that a su lcient quantity of liquefied hydrogen can be carried to replace the gas escaping from the balloon 2' during a long flight. For example, for a balloon having a capacity of 500 cubic meters the receptacle a would be of suflicient size to receive about 100 liters of liquefied hydrogen having a weight of approximately 7 kilograms.

henever it is desired to increase the lift ing capacity of or materially replenish the gas in the balloon i the valve 9 is ope'ne when rapid gasification of the liquid body 7' will occur. The space (Z surrounding the receptacle (2 being in constant communication with the conduit h may receive a portion of the gas thus delivered through the conduit 71. and the conduit 7-: provides for permitting such gas as may accumulate therein and any heated air within said space to pass to the balloon i so that the inner receptacle (3 is effectually insulated from heat and its contents can be maintained in liquid condition for a long period of time.

If it is desired to supply gas from the receptacle 6 more rapidly than is possible by manipulation of the valve 9 alone a current of air may be caused to pass through the space (Z about the receptacle e by opening suitable inlet and outlet valves 1, '2'. The passage of air through the body of insulation material in the space 03 will raise the temperature of the liquefied hydrogen and thus increase the rapidity of the gasification thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

-1. The combination with an aerial vessel including an inflatable bag, of a receptacle for liquefied gas, a valved conduit connecting said receptacle with the inflatable bag,

and a casing for said receptacle adapted to protect the contents thereof from the effect of heat and to receive gas generated by the vaporization of the contents of the receptacle, said casing being in constant communication with the inflatable bag.

The combination with an aerial vessel including an inflatable bag, of a receptacle In testimony whereof I have signed my for liquefied gas, a conduit connecting said name to this speclficatlon 1n the presence of receptacle with the interlor of the lnflatable two subscribing Witnesses.

bag, an insulation casing surrounding said HUGO ERDMANN. receptacle, and a branch conduit connecting Witnesses: the aforesaid conduit With the interior of PAUL RQVET,

said casing. I'IENRY HASPER. 

